Copy holder



L. w. sHAFER COPY HOLDE R Filed May 15; 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet l Mai A TTORNE Y.

Aug. A4, 1936. L.. w. sHAr-'ER 2,049,873

COPY HOLDER v Filed May 13, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4,* 'N g @ZKM l M A TTORNE Y.

Aug. 4, 1936.` L, w. SVHAFER 2,049,873

COPY HOLDER Filed May l5, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A TTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 4, 1936 Unirse stares cargar caries 11 Claims.

My invention relates to paper clamping devices to be used, in connection withcopy holders, to hold turned pages of stenographers note books or multiple page forms, on what I choose to call the y past principle. By the term fly past principle, I mean that the pages of a stenographers note book or multiple page form are caused to fly past an abutment by a flip of the wrist, and are subsequently held against said abutment from the rear.

Devices for holding books and sheets from which copy is made on a typewriter are old and well known. One form of device which has been considerably exploited commercially is shown in the Grifth Patent No. 1,014,646, to which reference is hereby made.

It is the object of my invention to provide a copy holder in which a copy plate, adjustable clamping device and line indicator are so mechanically interconnected that the labor of inserting the various types of copy work is reduced to a minimum. The inserting of the stenographic note book in particular is simple and can be readily accomplished even if the operator only uses one hand.'

Another object of my invention is to provide supporting brackets composed of upwardly sloping arms with swivels at either end and so arranged that even` though the supporting stand is located at the rear or side of a desk the arms will carry the holder to any position required. The device is not attached to the machine or typewriter with which it is used. The arms also provide a quick way to remove it to its out of use position which does not interfere with the opening and closing of the typewriter desks. The arm construction also makes it possible tov read at the position best suited to the eyes of the user and at the angle which will provide the best light on the copy.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a supporting post for the sup-porting arms which is held in position by either a clamp attached to the top of a desk or a floor stand of heavy cast iron. On the latter the supporting post extends al1 the way to the base located on the floor and is guywired against vibration by wires running from the supporting arm to the legs of the base. The post is also equipped with a collar which can'be localized at various positions giving theholder the necessary height adjustment.

' Another object of my invention is the provision of 'a line indicator pivotally mounted in such a way that it can be localized vertically along the GII extreme edge of the holder, when the work being copied does not require a horizontal guide. The combination of the pivot principal and the slider on which it is mounted makes it possible'to quickly swing the line indicator to its horizontal position and move it to any position desired without removing your hand from the slider. This makes it possible to quickly place the indicator to whatever position the work requires, even though it may be the middle or lower position on the sheet being copied. The slider` is also equipped with an adjustable clamping support for the line indicator so that the alignment of the indicator can be varied if necessary. A line by line movement of the indicator is provided for by a knob conveniently located at the bottom of the copy plate.

Another object, of my invention is the provision of a copy holder with a lapper clamp that extends above the upper end thereof to hold the upper portion sheets of a stenographic notebook or multiple page form. The turning of a page is then almost automatic as a slight pressure and quick release of the page against the flapper plate carries the page past the friction grips where it is held in its correct position. The flapper clamp has a height adjustment on the rear of the copy plate so it can be localized at a position which will permit the pages to flip past the friction grips with but a slight indentation of the flapper regardless of variation in size of notebook or formbeing copied. This constitutes an important feature of the present invention.

It is a purpose of my invention to have one model of copyholder, the front plate of which can be installed in any position relative to any type of onice equipment, yet not be attached to the equipment itself. The copy plate, its vertical swivel joint, the supporting arms and floor type supporting post, are so mechanically inter-connected that this result can be obtained and the holder will be unaifected by any vibration which might be caused by the above mentioned cnice equipment.

The main object of my invention is the provision of a apper clamp to hold the upper portion of the sheets of a stenographic note book or multiple page form. With this device, the turning of the page is almost automatic, as it is only necessary to ip the page to its full height above the bound or clamped position of the multiple page form, and apply a iinger pressure against the page as it rests against the flapper. A movement of the apper backwardly will then carry the turned page past the friction grips,

where a quick release of the hand will leave it held in its correct, out of the way position. The flapper clamp may be mounted adjustably, in which case it will be possible for the page to be flipped past the friction grips with but a slight indentation of the apper, regardless of the size of the multiple page form being copied.

The above objects and other objects to which reference will be made in the ensuing description, I accomplish by that certain combination and arrangement of parts of which I have shown my preferred embodiment.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the copy holder in position suitable to receivea stenographers note book.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the copy holder.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3 3 in Fig. 2. Y

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the copy holder as it would appear along the lines 4-4 in Fig. l, the position of a stenographers note book being given in dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view showing the operation of the sheet clamping mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the floor stand.

Referring rst to Fig. 1, I have illustrated the channel base I having thumb screws 2 by which the base member may be clamped to the projecting ledge of a table or desk top.

The base member has a threaded boss 3 within which a pedestal rod 4 is secured. On the pedestal rod there is a collar 5 having a thumb screw 5 by which the collar may be adjusted at a desired position on the pedestal. If it is desired, a floor stand may be used (Fig. 6) with an ordinary iloor spider 19 and the pedestal rod 4 screwed into thisY spider and held rigid by means of the guywires 1I. Of course in this case the pedestal rod 4 will be long enough to support the copy holder in the operators field of vision.

The lower arm forming the swiveled support for the copy holder has an apertured boss 1 which slidably and rotatively engages the pedestal rod 4. The lower arm is indicated at 8 and its upper end is provided with an apertured boss 9. A yoke member I0 of a second pivoted bracket arm II `engages the boss 9, and a bolt I2 having a nut I3 extends through the yoke and boss providing a pivotal connection therebetween.

The copy supporting plate I4 has an outwardly flanged lower edge I5 and the sides ofthe plate are bent back in the form of channels I6. A remounted on a sliding plate 26 which is held in Vthe slotted portion 25'by means of a thumb nut Frame arms 28 extend upwardly from the plate 26 beyond the upper end of the copy supporting Aplate I4 and a bar 29 is adjustably mounted in the down-turned upper ends 39 of the frame members 28, being secured'therein by means of screws 3 I The arm 29 has narrow tubular collars 32 on it to provide a frictional grip on the sheets or copy book being held in the holder. A bar 33 extends across the frame 28 and on this bar 33 there is pivoted a pressure board or clamping plate 34 which extends above the upper end of the copy supporting plate I 4 and is movable independently thereof into and out of clamping position. Extensions 35 extend down from the lower edges of the plate 34. They exert spring action against the base of the arm structure 28 to urge the plate 34 forwardly so that sheets which extend above the upper end of the relatively fixed copy holding plate I4, may be held between -the plate 34 and the narrow rollers 32 and will maintain their position accordingly.

Secured to one side of the copy holding plate I4, there is a square bar 36 on which a slider 31 operates. A-thumb wheel 38 is mounted in the boss 39 at the lower end. of the bar 36, and carries a sprocket 49 which a chain 4I engages. The chain 4I passes over a loose sprocket 42 journaled at the top end of the bar 33, and is secured at both of its ends to the slider 31. Fastened to the slide there is an arm 12 which is held resiliently against the bar 35 by the pressure of the coil spring 13. This arm prevents the slider from Vibrating on the bar 3B.

By turning the wheel 38, the slider 31 is moved up and down along the bar 36. On the slider there is a circular rim 43 which housesv a disc 44. The position of the disc is fixed but the rim 43 may rotate on it, its position being determined by the position of a thumb screw 45 in a. S101; at nl the rim member 43, and screwed into the disc 44.

A pin 41 extends through an aperture 48 in the .disc 44 and a spring 49 heid by a nut 56 on the exposed end of the pin 41 provides a resilient mounting for the pin.

Extending from a hole in the pin 41, a preferred type of line indicator consisting of a rod 5I carrying an apron shaped guide 52 is shown. The rod 5I extends through both .sides of the pin '41 and registers wit-h semi-circular slots 53 in the annular edge of the rim 43, so that the position of the line indicator is determined by the position of the rim 43, as determined by the adjustment of the thumb screw 45 in the slot 46.

The particular object of the adjustability of the line indicator is so that where thel words of .the copy mounted on the copy plate extend diagonally across the sheet Vinstead of horizontally, the line indicator may be adjusted to follow the diagonal lines of copy.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the ease of mounting a stenographers note book is illustrated. The book which is indicated in dotted lines at A, in Fig. 4, is supported in p-lace on the copy supporting plate I4 to properly coact with the line indicator, the lower edge of the book resting against the flange i5 of the copy supporting plate'. The upper leaves of the book are pressedwith the lingers against the holding plate 34, and a slight pressure with the tips of the fingers causes the upper ends of the pages to'slip in between the upper edge of the plate 34, and the narrow rollers 32, carried on the rod 29'. The pressure thus exerted by the operator on the turned page is effective to move the holding plate 34 rearward against its spring pressure independently of the copy holding plate I4 andV that'part ofthe book which is supported thereby. 'As soon as the operator releases pressure on the Vturned page which extends above the upper edge of the copy holding plate I4, the spring pressed plateV 34 will press said page against the holding bar. It will be understood that the turning and holding of the page is effected with a singl-e'movement of the hand of the operator. `Y

While I have shown the thumb wheel 38 for moving the line indicator, it will be quite obvious that a ratchet arm for moving the line indicator in a series of spaced movements may be employed, as such a means for moving the line indicator relative to the copy plate is old and well known in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In connection with a copy holder, a paper clamping device for turned pages comprising a rigid abutment and a hinged plate lying in a plane other than that of the pages to be clamped and resiliently urged against said abutment.

2. In connection with a copy holder, a paper clamping device for turned pages comprising a rigid bar and a hinged plate lying in a plane other than that of the pages to be clamped and resiliently urged vagainst said bar, said bar being in front of said plate and determining the position of said plate.

3. A paper clamping device for turned pages, to be used in connection with a copy holder, comprising a rigid abutment and a cooperating clamping member resiliently mounted in a plane other than that of the pages to be clamped, for movement in an arc away from said abutment.

4. A paper clamping device for turned pages, to be used in connection with a copy holder, comprising a rigid abutment and a cooperating clamping member resiliently mounted in a plane other than that of the pages to be clamped, for movement in an arc away from said abutment, said abutment comprising a horizontal bar and said clamping member comprising a horizontally hinged plate, both of which are fastened to th'e same support.

5. A paper clamping device for turned pages, to be used in connection with a copy holder, comprising a rigid abutment and a cooperating clamping member resiliently mounted in a plane other than that of the pages to be clamped, for movement in an arc away from said abutment, said abutment comprising a horizontal bar and said clamping member comprising a horizontally hinged plate.

6. A paper clamping device for turned pages, to be used in connection with a copy holder, comprising a rigid abutment and a clamping member mounted in a plane other than that of the pages to be clamped, so as to be resiliently urged against said abutment, said abutment determining the forward position of said member, and the resilient mounting of said member permitting a movement thereof in an arc away from said abutment, said device being adjustably mounted on said holder.

'1. A paper clamping device for turned pages, to be used in connection with a copy holder, comprising a rigidabutment and a hinged plate resiliently urged against said abutment, the said resilience being provided by strips of resilient material ilrmly aiiixed to the back of said hinged plate so as to normally lie in close contact therewith, said strips extending beyond the said hinged portion and bearing against a xed portion on said copy holder.

8. A paper clamping device for turned pages, to be used in connection with a copy holder, comprising a rigid abutment and a hinged plate, the said plate having strips fof resilient material firmly aflixed on its rear face so as to normally lie in close contact therewith, the said strips being longer than said plate and bearing against a nxed portion of said copy holder so as to resiliently urge the said plate forwardly against said abutment.

9. A paper clamping device for turned pages to be used in connection with a copy holder, comprising a spring pressed clamping plate pivoted on the copy holder for movement relatively to the copy supporting portion thereof, and a holding member arranged to receive between it and said clamping plate a turned sheet of a note book supported in place on said copy holder and to hold said turned sheet by the pressure exerted between the clamping plate and holding member.

l0. A paper clamping device for turned pages to be used in connection with a copy holder, comprising a substantially upright spring pressed clamping plate extending above and pivoted on the copy holder for movement relatively to the copy supporting portion thereof, and a holding bar arranged above the copy holder to receive between it and said clamping plate a turned sheet of a note book supported in place onr said copy holder and to hold said turned sheet by the pressure exerted between the clamping plate and holding bar.

ll. A paper clamping device for turned pages to be used in connection with a copy holder, comprising an upright clamping plate pivoted for independent movement on and extending above the copy holder in a position to coact with a turned sheet of a note book supported by the copy holder, a holding bar carried by said copy holder and arranged above it and in front of said clamping plate in a position to receive behind the clamping bar a turned sheet of a book supported by the copy holder and spring means that tend to move said clamping plate forward in contact with said holding bar and to clamp the turned sheet or sheets of the book between said clamping plate and holding bar.

LEWIS W. SHAFER. 

